Margaret: Mr. Wilson, I'd like you to meet Dr. Edward Smith.
Mr. Wilson: How
LANGUAGE NOTES
* Notice the rising intonation on the words Mr. Wilson. A tilling intonation on a name used in direct address is unusual in American English and tends to sound brusque and impolite. Listen for the d in I'd. It is important to include the d in this expression in order to differentiate it from I like, which has a different meaning. (I’d like = I would like = I want.)
* How do you do has the form of a question (and is sometimes followed by a question mark), but it is not a question in meaning. It is simply a polite formula used in formal introductions.
* The response to How do you do is simply the same phrase uttered with the same intonation by the other speaker. In fact, lines 2 and 3 are not strictly statement and response but rather statements uttered by the two speakers independently and, possibly, simultaneously.
* He's just finished writing...A useful pattern indicating an action recently completed. (Just is frequently used with the present perfect tense.) You may find it helpful to conduct a drill on this pattern in conjunction with the teaching of the present perfect, using variations of this sentence, such as I’ve just finished reading…I’ve just finished cleaning…She’s just finished correcting…They’ve just finishing putting…The same pattern, with start or begin, is commonly used for an action recently initiated: He’s just started writing…I’ve just started reading…She’s just started correcting…etc. A somewhat simpler form of this pattern (just + present perfect), to indicate an action recently completed, is of even broader usefulness: He’s just written…I’ve just read…We’ve just eaten…I’ve just heard…They’ve just returned…etc.
* Development program. Since these two words constitute a compound noun, the principal stress falls on the first word.
* I've read...Listen for the /v/ in I’ve. It is important to include the /v/ in this expression in order to differentiate it from I read, which has a different meaning.
Informal Introductions
(Sound of background conversation)
Jim: Who’s the tall girl next to Barbara?
Charles: That’s Mary Anderson. Didn’t you meet her at Steve’s party?
Jim: No, I wasn’t at Steve’s party.
Charles: Oh! Then let me introduce you to her now…Mary, this is my cousin Jim.
Mary: Hi, Jim. I’m glad to meet you.
Jim: I’m glad to meet you. Can’t we sit down somewhere and talk?
Mary: Sure, let’s sit over there.
LANGUAGE NOTES
* Who’s is the contracted form of who is. It should not be confused with the possessive whose, which, although pronounced the same (/huwz/), has a different meaning.
* Didn't you meet her…? Notice the use of the negative question. While generally used to indicate the expectation of an affirmative answer, here it expresses surprise that the answer to the question will probably-and unexpectedly-be negative.
Notice that in this sentence, the strongest stress, and the high point of the intonation, falls on at-although prepositions normally receive weak stress. It is as if at, in this case, were equivalent to present or there, as in I wasn’t present or I wasn’t there-in which the adjective and adverb, respectively, would normally receive the strongest sentence stress.
* Mary, this is my Cousin Jim. Notice that the introducer mentions the girl's name first, and introduces the young man to her (not vice versa). This is the normal, courteous manner of introduction among speakers of American English. Notice the rising intonation on Mary, a name used in direct address.
* Hi.
* I'm glad to meet you. Notice that the second speaker says this sentence with a different intonation than the first speaker used. The second speaker emphasizes you. (Compare lb. How are you?) Can’t we sit down…? = Would you like to sit down…?
* Sure is often used in informal conversation as a strong affirmative response equivalent to yes, certainly, of course, etc.
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